The next two nights came and went like silent storms.
No one saw Alex approach, and no one survived his passing.
The fourth Hydra base was hidden deep in a canyon—built into the stone itself, accessible only through reinforced tunnels. Alex didn't bother finding the entrance. He simply tore a hole through reality and stepped inside. The air warped around him, thick with static as the red-black energy pulsed faintly from his hands.
Hydra soldiers spotted him on cameras for barely a second before every screen went dark. The lights flickered, the alarms failed to sound, and the only noise left was the faint hum of something vast and alive moving through the facility.
When the gunfire began, it didn't last long. Every bullet evaporated before reaching him; every grenade detonated harmlessly in midair. He walked through the flames without slowing, leaving behind twisted shapes of crystal where soldiers had once stood. Their bodies hardened and gleamed in the dim light—blood turned to crimson crystal, eyes frozen open.
Within minutes, the entire base was silent. Alex looked around, his expression unreadable.
"Order restored," he murmured. "Three down."
The fifth and final base was unlike the others.
It wasn't buried under earth or hidden in mountains—it was anchored deep in the Atlantic Ocean, disguised as a marine research and weather monitoring platform. From the outside, it looked like any other sea station: massive antenna arrays, blinking navigation lights, and a fleet of drones hovering nearby. But beneath the surface, layers of reinforced steel and hidden labs stretched downward into the ocean floor.
Getting there would've been impossible for anyone else.
But Alex didn't need boats, submarines, or permission.
He simply stepped through a fold in the dark—space rippling for an instant—and emerged on the platform's slick metal deck.
The storm raged around him. Wind howled, rain hammered down, and waves slammed against the steel supports below. Lightning flashed across the clouds, painting the sky in silver bursts.
Guards appeared almost instantly, shouting over the storm as they raised their rifles. "Identify yourself!" one of them yelled.
Alex didn't bother answering. A pulse of red-black energy shimmered around him, and the air cracked. In the next instant, every weapon jammed. Power grids sparked, lights blew out, and the only illumination left came from the glow of Alex's eyes.
The men opened fire anyway—out of fear more than courage—but the bullets disintegrated midair, turning into dust before they could reach him.
Alex walked forward, calm, every step echoing against the rain-soaked deck. "Loud," he murmured. "Still just pawns."
He lifted one hand. Darkness spiraled outward like a living storm, swallowing the soldiers in seconds. Their screams were brief, drowned by thunder. When the shadow receded, there was nothing left—only fragments of red crystal glinting on the wet metal.
The whole platform trembled as energy built around him. The ocean below frothed and surged, reacting to the power coursing through the air.
Alex stood at the center of it all—unmoving, untouchable. His coat flared in the wind; the rain curved away from him before it could touch his skin.
"Five bases," he whispered. "All gone."
All around him, the blood-crystals began to rise—hundreds of them, floating up from the deck like crimson stars. Their glow pulsed in sync with his heartbeat, reflecting in his eyes like fire. The energy inside them—Hydra's stolen life force—vibrated violently, desperate for release.
Alex closed his eyes. The crystals dissolved into streams of red light, swirling toward him in graceful arcs before sinking into his body. His veins flared like molten iron for a brief moment, then cooled as the power settled.
He exhaled slowly, eyes opening once more, now glowing faintly.
"It's time," he said softly.
"To get my fourth demon… or demoness, if I'm lucky," Alex muttered with a faint grin.
He lifted his hand, summoning the Demon Summoning Circle. The air rippled, and deep red sigils spread across the floor beneath him. The symbols pulsed rhythmically, the ground vibrating as power gathered. Blood crystals rose from his palms and drifted toward the circle, dissolving into streams of crimson energy that fused into the runes.
Soon, the circle blazed with blinding light. The storm outside howled louder. From the heart of the circle, a shape began to form — first a silhouette, then a figure stepping forward as the glow dimmed.
It was a woman.
Tall, graceful, and otherworldly.
She had long silver hair that shimmered under the dim light, pale skin like moonlight, and eyes that glowed a sharp, blood-red hue. Black veins traced faintly under her skin, but her movements were elegant and calm.
Alex's brow arched. "Hm. A vampire… but not an ordinary one."
"Interesting," he murmured, studying her.
The woman's gaze met his — sharp, knowing, ancient. Her voice was soft but carried a strange power.
"You carry a strange scent," she said. "I sense angel, demon… and something greater hidden within you."
She tilted her head slightly. "It seems I was summoned by someone unique."
Alex smirked. "And you must be the one my circle called. What's your name?"
The woman smiled faintly, showing a hint of her fangs. "Names are earned, not given, mortal. But I can tell you this much—your blood hums with command. It marks you as one who would bind others. Are you ready for that weight?"
As she spoke, the summoning circle shifted beneath them. The air thickened, the runes pulsing faster. Alex realized what was happening — this was no simple summoning. It was a trial.
He remembered the warning written in one of the old grimoires:
A demon's servitude is never given freely. In battle or in submission, one must prove dominance.
The woman's eyes narrowed. "You know the rule. Defeat me, and I am yours. Lose… and you belong to me."
Alex chuckled softly. "There's no need for that. I'm your master already."
"Is that what you think?" she replied, her tone both amused and dangerous.
Before he could answer, her power flared. Shadows burst from her like wings, and chains of blood and mist spiraled outward. She moved faster than human sight, closing the gap between them.
Alex caught her wrist, their power clashing in a flash of red and silver. Sparks scattered across the air.
"Why don't you fight me properly?" Alex asked, smiling faintly.
"I could," she replied, her lips curling into a seductive grin. "But you're unique. I don't want to destroy you—just be my consort, and you'll be king above many." She caressed his cheek gently, her crimson eyes gleaming.
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